Breastfeeding by mothers infected with hepatitis B carries no increased risk of transmission to infants who receive proper immunoprophylaxis: a meta-analysis

Commentary on: Shi Z, Yang Y, Wang H, et al. Breastfeeding of newborns by mothers carrying hepatitis B virus: a meta-analysis and systematic review. Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med 2011;165:837–46.[OpenUrl][1][CrossRef][2][PubMed][3][Web of Science][4] Hepatitis B (HBV) remains a global health concern with 350 million people chronically infected, and transmission still occurs despite the widely available and efficacious vaccine. Mother-to-child transmission (MTCT) is an ongoing problem in many countries, and in countries with high prevalence of HBV (>8%), only 44% have birth dose vaccine implemented into the infant vaccine schedule.1 Currently, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends the use of hepatitis B immune globulin (HBIG) and HBV vaccine given at the time of birth with two additional doses of the vaccine in the first 6 months of life to … [1]: {openurl}?query=rft.jtitle%253DArchives%2Bof%2BPediatrics%2Band%2BAdolescent%2BMedicine%26rft.stitle%253DArch%2BPediatr%2BAdolesc%2BMed%26rft.issn%253D0002-922X%26rft.volume%253D165%26rft.issue%253D9%26rft.spage%253D837%26rft.epage%253D846%26rft.atitle%253DBreastfeeding%2Bof%2Bnewborns%2Bby%2Bmothers%2Bcarrying%2Bhepatitis%2BB%2Bvirus%253A%2Ba%2Bmeta-analysis%2Band%2Bsystematic%2Breview.%26rft_id%253Dinfo%253Adoi%252F10.1001%252Farchpediatrics.2011.72%26rft_id%253Dinfo%253Apmid%252F21536948%26rft.genre%253Darticle%26rft_val_fmt%253Dinfo%253Aofi%252Ffmt%253Akev%253Amtx%253Ajournal%26ctx_ver%253DZ39.88-2004%26url_ver%253DZ39.88-2004%26url_ctx_fmt%253Dinfo%253Aofi%252Ffmt%253Akev%253Amtx%253Actx [2]: /lookup/external-ref?access_num=10.1001/archpediatrics.2011.72&link_type=DOI [3]: /lookup/external-ref?access_num=21536948&link_type=MED&atom=%2Febmed%2F17%2F4%2F125.atom [4]: /lookup/external-ref?access_num=000294537100011&link_type=ISI